Workers and boss battle for a super seat

The Australian Services Union has accused employer groups of attempting to increase their influence over the board that will oversee a $10 billion superannuation fund upon the merger of Victorian retirement schemes Equipsuper and Vision Super.

Australian Services Union Victorian branch secretary and Vision Super deputy chairman
Brian Parkinson
has also criticised one of the existing trustees of Equipsuper for using “unfair tactics" to try to block the appointment of a union representative onto the board of the enlarged fund.

The process of selecting trustee directors for the new board is the latest row that has erupted during the protracted tie-up between the two retirement funds that cater to 150,000 Victorian local government and electricity workers.

In a major snag last May, three Vision Super trustees – Tony Tuohey, Russell Atwood and Wendy Phillips – opposed the alliance at the first signing of the merger documents.

Mr Tuohey, an ASU representative, had complained six months earlier to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority that due process had not been followed in the merger talks.

Over the next few weeks the employer and employee groups that back Equipsuper and Vision Super must decide who will represent them on the new board.

Each fund will put forward two employer groups and two union representatives.

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The latest obstacle has arisen because
John Azaris
, general manager of operations and services at SP Ausnet, has decided to stand as an employee representative on the enlarged fund.

Mr Azaris currently sits on the Equipsuper board as an employer representative.

In a letter to ASU members obtained by The Australian Financial Review, Mr Parkinson complains that Mr Azaris has used the SP Ausnet email system to promote his candidacy, a privilege that was not given to a candidate endorsed by the ASU.

“Employers are seeking election to workers’ positions," Mr Parkinson says in the letter.

“One such individual, John Azaris, has exploited his senior management role to frustrate the chances of ASU candidates being elected.

“Management will pull out all the stops to see one of their own elected at the expense of workers," Mr Parkinson writes.

He urges members not to vote for Mr Azaris, who chairs Epuip­super’s audit, risk and compliance committee.

“These are the sorts of unfair tricks we can expect from management. It is a disgrace.

“Workers such as yourself need to send a clear message to management to keep their hands off Equipsuper," the letter says.

Voting closes tomorrow.

Vision Super was expected to send a letter to employer and employee groups this week calling for nominations to the new board.

It is understood that both Mr Parkinson and Mr Tuohey will put themselves forward as candidates.

The merger is due to be finally signed off on May 25, when the trustee directors of the current funds will need to determine if the tie-up is in the best interests of their members.

Last week Mr Tuohey told the Financial Review that this had still not been decided.

“We are still in the process of due diligence and are working through that process," he said.

“To suggest that I am opposed to the merger is not correct, but equally you have to be satisfied that it is in the members’ best interests," Mr Tuohey said.